Connecting with culture and nature

Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre

The Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre is located in Burrumbuttock, north of Albury in southern NSW. Since 1995, the centre, which is adjacent to Burrumbuttock Public School, has provided opportunities for discovery and learning about the natural environment, the ecology of the local woodlands and the beauty of native plants.

www.wirraminna.org.au

PETAURUS EDUCATION GROUP

Petaurus Education Group identifies, develops and delivers a range of learning and curriculum experiences, resources and initiatives for schools and community groups to connect with land, water, productive farming, sustainability and cultural issues at the local level. The group was established by Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre in late-2014 to support its operations and education activities.

www.wirraminna.org.au/petaurus

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AcknowledgementsWe would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and thank them for sharing their knowledge and culture with us.

This program was generously supported by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet through the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, Eucalypt Australia and Corowa District Landcare.

© 2018 Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre, www.wirraminna.org.au

Design by PeeKdesigns, www.peekdesigns.com.au

Connecting with culture and nature

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Connecting with culture and nature

In 2018, 10 schools from the Corowa District Landcare area participated in botanical art workshops with Wiradjuri artist David Dunn. Following these sessions, David created Acknowledgement of Country plaques for each of the schools, incorporating the students’ artwork and highlighting each school’s local plants and animals.

To extend the students’ learning, Corowa District Landcare and Eucalypt Australia supported each school to visit Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre. On these excursions the students engaged in activities to learn about threatened animals, the importance of local indigenous plants and our iconic eucalypt trees.

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This book contains reflections on students’ learnings from the following participating schools:

• Corowa Public School• Mulwala Public School• Rand Public School• Lowesdale Public School• Urana Public School

• St. Francis Xavier Primary School• Savernake Public School• Corowa South Public School• St. Mary’s Primary School• Oaklands Central School

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Botanical Art Workshops

Students participated in botanical art workshops with Wiradjuri artist, David Dunn. He taught the children about some of the native plants that play an important role in indigenous food, tools, celebrations and medicine.

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Guwandong (Quandong) has a sweet fruit which can be eaten and can also be used medicinally and in ceremonies. The large seed inside the fruit is used as a toy or ornament.

Giigandul (Silver wattle) provides food, fibre and medicine. It is used to make tools, adhesive and a fish poison.

Binyal (Red gum) tree bark is preferred for making coolamons and large bark canoes.

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Injimarra garden

Children built on their knowledge of indigenous plants gained from the botanical art workshops when they visited Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre in Burrumbuttock. They got to see, taste and smell the plants in Wirraminna’s Injimarra Garden as well as explore tools and cultural items created from the plants.

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“Injimarra means respect.” BLAKE, COROWA PUBLIC SCHOOL

“We learned that Aboriginal people have been here for over 60,000 years and they used plants for medicines and tools.” COBY AND JAZZIE, RAND PUBLIC SCHOOL

“There are lots of different types of bush tucker.” ALYSSHA, LOWESDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL

“I learnt that Aboriginal people made tools with rocks.” LOGAN, LOWESDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL

“Silver wattles are supermarkets for Aboriginal people and drooping she-oaks come in handy when making weapon handles.”EVA AND GAB, ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PRIMARY SCHOOL

“We learned about plants and their uses.” ANGUS AND CASEY, ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PRIMARY SCHOOL

“We can eat the little red berries on the ruby saltbush.” NICK, SAVERNAKE PUBLIC SCHOOL

“Food and medicine can be found everywhere.” NICHOLAS, OAKLANDS CENTRAL SCHOOL

“I can say the names of the plants in Wiradjuri language.” TAYAH, ST. MARY’S

PRIMARY SCHOOL

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Ghost Hunt - Learning about threatened species

while exploring Wirraminna

The woodlands of Burrumbuttock once supported a great variety of native animals, but many are now disappearing or are gone from the area. We call these animals ghosts. Children used a map to navigate their way around Wirraminna to find where all these ghosts would once have lived. Children learned about the different threats to these species and what actions they can take to help.

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“My favourite activity was the Ghost Hunt because it was fun to explore Wirraminna and look for all the different animals.” TAMMY, RAND PUBLIC SCHOOL

“I learned that different animals live in different environments.” MAX, ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PRIMARY SCHOOL

“I learned about endangered animals and extinct animals and why they aren’t found around here anymore.” SOMMERS, LOWESDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL

“I liked the Ghost Hunt because you got to find out all about the different animals and it was fun.” REGAN, COROWA PUBLIC SCHOOL

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Bush Treasure Hunt

Children searched for items that animals see as treasure. From twigs to make a nest to a chewed leaf that has provided a snack, the children searched for Wirraminna’s Bush Treasure and created a collage. This activity also introduced students to the web of life and the life-cycle of eucalypt trees.

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“Lumps in leaves are actually eggs.” JAYDEN AND MILLA, MULWALA PUBLIC SCHOOL

“The Treasure Hunt was my favourite activity because I found some possum fur.” JOSH B., COROWA SOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOL

“I liked learning about the trees.” AMELIA AND WILLOW, MULWALA PUBLIC SCHOOL “I learned that animals use different

things as treasure.” ALICE, COROWA PUBLIC SCHOOL

“We learned about the different types of gum trees.” ASHLEIGH AND PHILIPPA, ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

PRIMARY SCHOOL AND URANA PUBLIC SCHOOL

“I now know how to find seeds and tells trees apart.” CHARLIE, ST. MARY’S PRIMARY SCHOOL

“I learned about plants and pollination of flowers.” JAMES, LOWESDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL

“Our environment has a lot of interesting stuff in it.” ASHLEY, OAKLANDS CENTRAL SCHOOL

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Acknowledgement of Country

At the end of the visit, each school was presented with their own Acknowledgement of Country plaques created by David Dunn and the students.

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Reflections on Wirraminna through Acrostic Poetry

W ildlife, Wiradjuri country, Welcoming

I nteresting, Indigenous, Investigating

R ed Gum, Respect, Rare species

R oots, Ruby saltbush, Resources

A ctivities, Animals, Adventure

M other nature, Magical, Motivational

Important, Information, Injimarra garden

N ature, Nests, Nuts

N ative, Natural, New learning

A boriginal culture, Awesome, Amazing

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E pic, Environment, Extraordinary

U nique, Useful, Up high

C olourful, Coolamon, Cultural

Amazing, Australian, Animal shelter

L ife cycle, Lizards, Leaves

Y ellow Box, Yum

P recious, Plants, Pollen

T rees, Tucker, Tales

S pecial, Shady, Seeds

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“Corowa District Landcare would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet today and pay our respect

to Elders, past, present and future, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hope of Indigenous Australians.”